Not paying for childcare this autumn as bills go up

[Essenceandvibes]

I've just had an epiphany.....I absolutely won't be paying a penny for childcare this autumn as bills increase and I won't be made to feel guilty about it either. I can work from home and watch my baby and pick up my 10 year old from school without the assistance of anyone else and if my employer has an issue with it, he can pay an extra £2000 per month post tax to cover the cost of full time help.

Our bills are going to be about £800 a month just electricity and gas alone for our detached 4 bed house, this isn't even thinking about the increase of petrol or groceries.

The mortgage has also gone up a few hundred quid too....childcare and commuting is now a luxury not necessity and I really hope every parent joins me in asking for employers like it or lump it

Shameful the government have let everything get this far, the knock on effects will be huge

This.

You'll be a shit employee, colleague and parent.

Yes, we did it in lockdown. For those of us trying to do a stellar job of working and parenting it was bloody awful.

You will be sacked. Cant you down size the house?

This is incredibly unfair on your employers and your baby. If you can't afford childcare then you need to find another solution, family help or opposite working hours to child's other parent.

Those saying they did it in lockdown. Yes, that was a worldwide pandemic where we all had to do our bit. Standards dropped. Life was different and looking after children whilst working from home was never and never should be a long term solution

She'll neglect both

Hope your epiphany keeps you fed and warm

The only person who gets it in this entire thread

It's a form of protest to all those who don't quite understand, businesses will start to pressure the government into action if we all do this

@gogohmm

Would you mind saying what your sc & pkw charges are?

I live alone in a 2bdrm flat, conscious of useage & pay £120 pcm for G&E.

I'm with BG. I'd like to compare your rates to mine.

Sorry but I'm past crying billionaires a river

Oh god I hope everyone doesn’t do this I’m about to expand my childminding business

I think "managed" is a loose term. Many people I know worked on shifts with their partner, one getting up really early to start work and then one working late into the evening. Those who were working 9-5 while doing childcare didn't get a lot done.

You're on a lonely path here. No one is going to do this. They will sack you and replace you by the end of the week. You need to think carefully. I'm not sure you are serious?

No, everyone "gets" it. The struggle. But they also realise that what you are suggesting is ridiculous. And unfair on your baby.

I think employers should be flexible and accomodating. But a line has to be drawn. That line is, for example, looking after a baby while "working".

You won't need childcare when you get sacked

I think you’ll be safe enough Thehop

If every parent did it....they wouldn't get rid of us all

They'd put pressure on the government to actually take their jobs seriously and sort out the energy infrastructure in this country

I'm done playing dickhead and paying out so everyone can get rich off my back whilst I work just to afford bills to live

It's a nope from me 😁

But no one else will do it, so you’ll only make yourself sackable?

Yeah you’re gonna get fired hun.

You’re either going to be a failing employee or a failing parent. I did this for 4 months with a 2 year old during the first lockdown because nursery closed and I had no choice. It was a disaster.

Also it’s hard enough to be a professional working parent when there’s so many young, childfree, flexible workers after your job. Attitudes like this only
feed into making employers think it’s not worth it.

As an employer your attitude is quite poor. Your expectation is that I need to sort your problems, or they need to be picked up by other working staff- some of whom will be working mothers paying for childcare whilst you do not. Most employers state clearly in their HR manuals that this is not acceptable and I would discuss this with a member of staff who I found to be involved in such a practice. Your employment would not continue very long I am afraid.

Out of curiousty will they childrens father (s) be joining you in this holy protest op?

nope thought not.

When nurseries had to close in March 2020, the owner of ours put her home onto an interest only mortgage and told me she'd be ok as she lived alone so she could stretch her food out.

The woman who runs the baby room has taken a second job as a carer - she works full time and is very good at her job, but shitty childcare wages no longer pay the bills.

A median wage doesn't cover childcare and living costs.

The system is broken, I get that.

None of that means it's ok for you to be a bad parent and a bad employee. It's not some great protest that will revolutionise the system.

The French literally burn down buildings to get what they want, I'm just suggesting to not pay the nanny when your purse is already stretched enough and you think I'm being unreasonable? 😂

Everything wrong with Brits

When my second child was born, he could easily sleep 3/4 hours, so I could have worked away and packed a full days work into those hours. It depends on what work you do. If you take a lot of phone calls, then I doubt I could do it, but also if you have a partner who is home some of the time that could help. So many people don’t work 9 till 5 anymore.

What do you do for a living OP?
Do you contractually have the right to work from home?
How on earth can you potentially justify being unable to do your job as described, because you are trying to take care of a baby’s needs whilst working.

You can’t be a good cater whilst doing this, and you sure as heck can’t be a good employee too.

You will get sacked. It’s not your employer’s fault that costs have gone up and the food and energy prices are through the roof.

Not only could you be sacked, you could legitimately be given a bed reference and will this find securing future employment challenging.